Aspirin, ibuprofen cut Parkinson's risk

Over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen can reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease, US researchers reported yesterday. They found that regular users of such drugs, which ease the pain of arthritis and headaches, were much less likely to have Parkinson's than non-users or sporadic users. The drugs, known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS, are taken daily by millions of people. Acetaminophen is not an NSAID and does not act in the same way as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and similar drugs. A team from the University of California, Los Angeles studied 579 men and women from California, half of whom had Parkinson's disease. The researchers found the NSAID users were less likely to have Parkinson's, especially those using ibuprofen or other non-aspirin NSAIDs. (Reuters)

Flight delays less a problem in Sept.

Travelers were less likely to be stuck on a delayed flight in September, but the airline industry's on-time performance in 2007 remained the worst in 13 years, according to government data released yesterday. The nation's 20-largest carriers reported an on-time arrival rate of 81.7 percent in September, up from 76.2 percent in the same month a year ago, and up from 71.7 percent in August, the Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics said. (AP)

Veto threatened on farm bill

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration threatened to veto a multibillion-dollar farm package yesterday, saying the Senate bill doesn't cut farm subsidies enough and would threaten World Trade Organization negotiations. The veto threat came as the Senate started debate on the $288 billion bill, with opponents vowing to reduce the billions of dollars in annual subsidies paid to growers of corn, wheat, cotton, rice, and other major crops. The veto threat came from acting Agriculture Secretary Charles Conner, who said he and other senior advisers to President Bush would recommend the action. (AP)